Product Reviews:

Chardonnay lovers, listen up. This bright, tropical Chard will keep you cool and quenched during the warm summer evenings. It's drenched in pineapple, a hint of coconut (from the oak), and zingy stone fruit. This would pair dreamily with grilled peaches!

I dare you to find a Chardonnay for under $13 that has this stuffing! Upfront, the 2011 Clos Pegase "Mitsuko's Vineyard" Carneros Chardonnay is very tropical, creamy and lush. The mid-palate is held together with a fresh, citrus backbone and the finish his fresh and lingering. Hints of oak are present but not overpowering. Really a great buy!

The Mitsuko’s Vineyard Chardonnay from Clos Pegase may be one of the first Chardonnays I remember drinking, certainly one of the first I remember enjoying. This was back in the late 90’s/early aughts but the wine really hasn’t changed that much over all these years. The wine is still predicated on the one thing that it can’t escape: acidity. The coolness of Carneros seems to always keep this wine from going overboard and gives the apple flesh and graham cracker flavors lift and “pop.” That being said this is not one of those lean Chards, quite the contrary. There is always texture and richness here with a sort of expanse feel. The wine has incredibly integrated oak and a hefty amount of leesy richness but the flavors never feel anything but fresh. Tangerine, brioche, baked pears, honeysuckle and blood orange combine for one fully flavored, yet supremely balanced Chard.

Additional Information:

Varietal:

Chardonnay

- It's hard to believe that up until about 30 years ago, this extremely popular varietal hid behind the veil of geographical names like Chablis and Puligny-Montrachet. Now grown all over the world and bottled by its varietal name, Chardonnay has achieved a level of branding unlike any other wine. Surprisingly, though, what you get when you buy Chardonnay can differ greatly from country to country and even within one country, depending on the climate where it's grown and how it is vinified and aged. From fresh, crisp and minerally with apple and lemon notes to rich and buttery with tropical fruit overtones, Chardonnay runs the gamut.
In France's Burgundy, Chardonnay is the source of the prized wines of Chablis, Corton-Charlemagne, Mâcon, Meursault and Montrachet. It also the foundation of exceptional Champagne, where it is blended with Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier or vinified on its own into Blanc de Blancs. It is also extremely popular in California, and is gaining popularity in Australia, New Zealand, Italy, Spain and South Africa.

Country:

United States

- When people consider domestic wine, they normally think about the state of California. The fine viticultural Region within California, including the Napa Valley, Sonoma, Santa Cruz Mountains, Mendocino and Santa Barbara, are capable of growing grapes of world-class quality. But there's plenty of fabulous wine coming from other states, too. Oregon, Washington and New York are also causing eyebrows (and glassware) to be raised around the world. Click for a list of bestselling items from the United States.

Sub-Region:

California

- With the explosive growth that California's wine industry has seen the past several years, it's easy to view winemaking and grape growing in the Golden State as a recent phenomenon. And while it's true that California's viticultural history is brief compared to several European countries, this state's roots date back well over 200 years. Due to the enormous response to California wine within the United States and worldwide, there are thousands of excellent and diverse wines being produced within the state each year. For our entire selection of California wines, please visit this link.

Specific Appellation:

Carneros

- Just across the Golden Gate from San Francisco, Carneros is kept cool by Bay breezes and thick fog, and has long been famous for cool-climate pinot noir, chardonnay and sparkling wine based on the two varietals. Warmer pockets have proved interesting and promising homes for syrah, cabernet and merlot.